Sen. Moore Welcomes Belgian Police Delegation to Senate

Senator Michael O. Moore (D-Millbury) introduced a delegation of Belgian law enforcement officers to members of the Massachusetts Senate on Thursday. In the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris on November 13, 2015, the officers are participating in specialized anti-terrorism training in Massachusetts.

“Today, we welcome European allies in the global fight against terrorism,” remarked Sen. Moore in the Senate Chamber. “International public safety threats posed by terrorist organizations demand that law enforcement work collectively to share insights, knowledge and resources to prevent against future attacks, and to safeguard our freedom.”

Following the Paris attacks, Belgian law enforcement officers led efforts to investigate and search for terrorist suspects residing in their homeland. However, officers soon realized that their existing response and prevention capabilities were limited. In an effort to close the existing information gap, Belgian officers traveled to Massachusetts to learn about homemade explosive devices and detection capabilities of police canines.

The delegation’s training was coordinated by Officer James Ljunggren of the Auburn Police Department. Officer Ljunggren, who is an expert in the area of police canines and homemade explosives, developed specialized anti-terrorist training programs after the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013. Support for the program marks a collaborative effort amongst public safety agencies within the state to help ensure that citizens of the Commonwealth are protected from terrorist threats.